Electric eyelet and grommet machine



April 30, 1935. G. T. BIGGS ELECTRIC EYELET AND GROMMET MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 27, 1930 A rii so, 1935.

G. T. BIGGS ELECTRIC EYELET AND GROMMET MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1930 April 30, 1935. G. T. BIGGS 1,999,860

ELECTRIC EYELET AND GROMMET MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 30, 1 935 ELECTRIC EYELET'AND GRoMME'r MACHINE w 7 George T. Biggs, St. Paul; Minn., assigncr;by niesne assignments, to Jacob Backer, St.: Paul,

Minn.

Application 0ctober2'7, 1939, serial No. 191,472 1 9 Claims.

' My invention relates to an electric eyelet and grommet machine adapted to be operated automatically to place the eyelet in the member such as in curtains and curtain sticks and the like, the eyelet and grommet machine operating to punch the hole and fasten the rivet. in an automatic operation.

The invention also includes the method of supplying rivets for the machine in a magazine which is adapted to support the 'rivets or eyelets in the magazine member ready to bev used in the eyelet and a grommet machine. The magazine member is separable from the eyelet machineand is supplied with the eyelets in operative position therein. Thus when the eyelet machine is in need of more eyelets it is only necessary to'supply' a new'magazine or' cartridge member filled" with eyelets i which. is' placed in working positiontin the eyelet machine so as to direct-the eyelets through an eyelet slide or track to the position in which they are inserted for riveting in place. The method of supplying the eyelets consists in placingthe eyelets in 'a then bending a shoulder in the path of the channel guide on each end thereof to provide a'cartridge or magazine filled with eyelets which acts as an eyelet support and guide when the same is placed in my eyelet machine, the shoulder onione jend'of the cartridge being bent back'to release the eyelets before the cartridge or magazine is placed in the eyelet machine.

It is also a feature of. my automatic electrically operated eyelet setting and riveting machine to provide means for operatingthe same through-a complete operation of punching the hole for, the eyelet, placing the eyelet in the hole and riveting thesame, all of which operation is automatic,

being carried out by an electric motor which.

starts the machine to operate on pressing a button to close the circuit to the, motor after. which a switch operates to keep the circuit closed until of the curtain stick which is'to be furnished with an eyelet placed in the center for the curtain cord. With this construction various size our- 7 punchthe machine has completed the operation of tain sticks may The. quickly eyelete d by placing the same in the-automatic centering gauge which is carriedjby the front of'the eyeleting machine and pressing the button, and the eyelet machine automatically operatesto place the eyeletinj the curtain and stick. .My electric eyelet and grommet machine illustrated as for v.usein placing eyelets in curtain sticks inthe furnishing of the curtain for thecord, however, it will be apparent that the samestructureand with its operating parts may be used for placingigrommets or other similar articles or rivets, or in fact, placing eyelets'in other than curtain sticks, and thelike.

- These features; together with other details and objects of the inventionv will be more fully and clearly set :forth in the specification and and grommet machine. I

Figure 2 is a detail of the automatic centering Qmeans for curtain sticks and the like. channel guide to form the magazine or cartridge,

Figure 3isa side elevation of my automatic electric eyelet and grommet machine.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic detailof some of Figure .5 is a diagrammatic detail of some of the operating partsof the operation ofthe rivetingshait-and lever andcama. r

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic detail of the automatic: switch and operating cam which controls ;the operation of the machine; T

, .j i ure 7. is a sectional 'detail longitudinally through a portion of the machine, the upper and front part of which is broken away.

Figure 8 is a front view of the electric eyelet and grommetmachine, with the centering means for curtain sticks removed.'. z

Figure 9 is a detailportion of the eyelet setting Figure 10 is another view in the-opposite direction to Figure 9 otthe eyelet setting punch.

Figure 11 is a detail of a portion of the punch plunger and operating sleeve. i

Figure 12 illustrates one of 1 the eyelet magazines. 4 l V Figure l3 illustrates ,a, diagrammatic view of the wiring for. controlling the motor which operatesmy electric eyelet machine.

The automatic electric eyelet and grommet machine is formed with arbed l0 upon" which the motor A "is mounted on the sliding carriage or plate l l so that the motor may'slide with theoperating parts in the operation of the punch lever cam. 1

; hereinafter more fully described;

which projects on either side of the gear l6 and which is held by the bolts l9; to' the head frame which supports the punch plunger 2| and.

operating sleeve 22 and whichis secured to the carriage vll in any suitable manner. This head 'frame also supports the eyeletfsetting plunger j' 23. These plungers are operable to reciprocate up anddown in the operation of the "eyelet ma chine so as to punch the hole and set the eyelet at the proper time. The sliding. plate or carriage Ii operates to move the punch and the plunger -for the .eyelet setting to theproper positions in the-course of operation. This operation will be ,The motor A operates through the=gear [5 to operate the gear l6 whichin turn is adapted to operate the cam 24 which is carried came shaft I ll by means of a sleeve 25'integral with-said cam and which "isheldadjustable on the shaft by the set screw '26. This camf'24 when rotated clockwise as viewed in 1 Figure-4 engages the punch lever 21 which is normallyheld with the end 28 engaging :with the 0am by meansot the coil spring 29 one-end of which is fastened to'the lever- 21 and the other end of-which'is.secured to slide IILQThe lever 2T is piv'otedto the side of the head frame 20 at 30 and the end "3| opposite to the end 28'carriesa forwardly projecting operating end 32 which engages in a slot formed in the side of the punch plunger33. The punch plunger slidablyoperates within a sleeve 34 and the sleeve'34l reciprocates up and down within theends 35 and 36 of'the head frame 20.

A punch anvil 37" is" carried by the lower portion-of the head frame-and projects -forward in line with the porti'ons 35 and 36 so that the punch plunger andsleeve operate-above and upon the same. The operation of the sleeve 34 will be hereinafter more clearly" defined.-

-My automatic eyelet-machine is provided with the operating lever -38 which is mounted on the shaft 30 on the opposite'si'de of the head 20 to the lever 21. -This lever 38 is formed "in two parts, the forward" portion -39'o'f whichextends "with'an offset portion lflextending under the -upperiarm 35 of the head' 20 and' carrying a plate 4| which engages'in a slot in the side of theeyelet settingplunger 23. See Figures 1 and 5. When the lever 381s operated it is adapted to reciprocate the eyelet plunger '23.; 1 a The plunger 23'is hollow and carries theeyelet mandrel 42 within the same and the lowerflend of-which is slotted at 43 on either" side; The

nose of the mandrel 42 is rounded'at 44"a nd*-a hole :45'extnds throughthe mandrel remote from the roundednose 44. A fsmall spring 46 "is adapted to extend along in-the'recesses or slots 43 along theside of the mandrelfl and through ef l fii h ifi a of th ie n are bowed at '4lt'o project slightlyon 'either side of .the rounded nose portion 44' of the eyelet mandrel 42;, see Figures '9 and 10;. f rms the f nan- Idrel g: is provided with means,- through the Swing r W9 5i? we; ey e 4% wh 1 'the eyelet setting plunger 23 is forced down by off and the eyelet magazine 49 is inserted in the guide 52 carried by the side of the head which projects from a suitable supporting standard 53 extending'up from the bed 10. The guide 52 is formed to carry the eyelets directly under the eyelet setting plunger 23. Thus eyelets are picked up by the mandrel 42 when the punch 54 which is carried by the end of the punch plunger 33 is in the operation of punching through a curtain stick C'which is held in position in the eyelet machine .in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

.zigrThe'mandrel 42 of the eyelet setting plunger 23 is held in normal downward position by a coil spring 55 which is positioned within the upper endtof the eyelet setting plunger 23 and which -is held by the cap screw 56 in thetop of the eyelet setting plunger in place so as to bear against the top end of the eyelet mandrel 42. The

mandrel 42 extends substantially above the position of the offset portion 40. When the lever 38 -moves down to set the eyelet in thehole in the stick 0 after the hole has been punched in the stick, the end plate M is adapted to force the outer or sleeve portion of the eyelet setting plung- 'er 23 down to rivet the eyelet on the eyelet manrdrel riveting surface 51, the coil spring 55 allow- ,ing'the mandrel .42 to slip up into the eyelet setting plunger or sleeve 23 seas to release the mandrel 42 from the eyelet which is being riveted in-the stick C.

'In the operationof the eyelet setter the ends of the curtain stick 0 are rested in the pockets 58 of the equalizing or centering means D. The

end 62 of the eyelet machine so as to hold the curtain stick C in proper position in relation to 'the mandrel 31. 2

In placing the stick C in the pockets 58, the

pockets 58 may be moved together by means of the chains 63 and 64 which operate overtwo pair of sprockets '65 and 66 which are carried bythe "shafts 61 and 68. The pairs of sprockets 65 and 66are positioned adjacent eachother near the center of the equalizer D. The chain 63 has one end secured at 59, while the other end is secured awn to the'arm 59, while the chain 54 has one end secured at I! to the-other adjacent arm 59 and the 'other end secured at 72 to the same arm 59; -Movement of one of the arms 59 moves the chain 63'which" rotates the sprockets 65 and 56.

The chain 64 on theadjacent arm 59, passing "over the sprockets 65 and 66 on the opposite sides thereof, pulls the attached arm in the opposite j direction an equal distance. Thus when the curtain stick'C is placed in the pockets 58 and I "either of the pockets are moved toward or away from eachother, the stick C will be automatically properly centered in relation to the punch 54 and 'the eyelet plungers 23 so that the stick C will be punched exactly in the center and the eyelet may imay not bedesirableior necessary. I-provide a curtain. stick holding or clamping .means which includes a pairiof rubbercovered rests 73 which are positioned on either sideof the be-placed centrally between the ends of the stick,

all ofwhich operation is virtually'automatic in. setting the eyelet in a curtainstick- C.. p Where grommets or other articles are-adapted tobe set by my machine the centering means D operating head 28 andsupported from-the base 18 by the standards 14. Co-operatihg with the rests 13.1 provide a pair of rubbercovered clamping fingers 15 which are carried by the arms 16. The arms-l6 are pivoted to the'base'ifl at 11.

:These arms .are formed in 'two, parts; having a rear-end 18 which is held'on the pivot ll and by the set screw 19 which operatesin a slot .toadjust theworking end88 of the arm lty sogthat .whenthe end-88. is operated-by a cam-8'l which is carried by the shaftthearms 16 'will operate to clamp the curtain stick against the rest -13and the-fingers 15, each of which are covered with rubber or other cushioning means-seas to prevent injuryto thecurtain stick or the curtain covering which goes around thestick in the making ofcurtains; In this manner I provide an automatic clamping meanswhich engages the curtain stick after it has been set in the proper 55 which operates the mandrel rod 42. "when the setscrew .81 is operated'it provides a position in the centering meansD so that when the motor A is operated, the--cam 8| will operate the lever 16 to clamp the stick C and hold it firmly until it has been punched and eyeleted and the punch has been removed from the stick, all of which operation is automatic and which will be inore clearly hereinafter set forth. A cam 8| engages the end 82 of the rear end 18 of each arm TB'during the punching operation.

The lever 39 operates the eyelet setting plunger or sleeve 23 and the mandrel 42 and the rear portion 82 of'this lever is adjustable in relation to the remainder of the lever 39, pivoting'on'the shaft 38. The lever end 48 is formed with an outwardly projecting boss 83 which projectsabove'a boss 84 which is carried by the lever portion 82.

Then by means of a set screw 85 carried by the boss 83 the two boss portions 83 and 84- are adjustably connected together, the set screw/ 85 being readily adjustable to set the two portions 48 and 82 of the lever 38 in relation to eachother.

Further, the lever portion 82 is formed with anoverlying portion 86' which carries an adjusting screw 81. The overlying portion 86 of the por tion 82 'of the lever38 'extendsover the rear portion of the part 48 of the lever '38 and the screw 81 engages therewith sothat by means of the set screw 85 and' the set screw 81 adjustment of the two ends 48 and 82 of the lever 38 can be made independent of the cam 88' which engages with the operative end 89 of the portion 82 of the lever 38 to operate the same. The portion 82 of the lever 38 is held by the coil spring 98 with the operative end 89 against the cam 88. This cam :is carried by the shaft I1. Themandrel shaft 42 is notched as shown in Figure '7 to receive the plate 4|. The forward end 48 hearing the plate 4| is normally pushed downward by the spring Thus stop against the rear portio'n48 of the lever 38 and together with the adjusting screw 85 the relation between the ends 48 and 82 of the lever 38 "is adjusted so thatthe operatingfend plate 4| for operating the eyelet setting plunger 23 and the mandrel- 42may be adjusted in relation to the position. It may be seen that the sleeve 34 cam. 88.. This provides a very fineo'r virtually micrometer adjustment-to the operatingjend of the eyelet plunger sleeve 23 and the mandrel42. :In the operation of my machine to punch a hole and set the eyelet or other similar means,

the sliding plate H which'carries the'motor and the-operating head 28 with the eyelet mandrel and the punch, are normally held by the "coil springQl which is positioned under the bed in backward position, as illustrated in" Figure 7.

EWhen the motor A is operated the punch plunger 33 is :first operated by the cam 24 to'punch the hole inthe stick C. In the operation of the motor A the lever 16 is operated simultaneously with the starting of the motor Awhich clamps the stick C between the rests. I3 and the fingers l5 while the hole is punched. 'Just before the hole is punched the cam 92 which iscarried on the. shaft l'l operates the lever 93 which is pivoted -at 94 to the under portion of the bed l8 and the working end 95 of the lever 93 operates the lever 96 which is pivoted at 9'! to cause the end 98 of the lever 96 to engage under the punch anvil 31 to raise the punch anvil 3T sufliciently to bring the punch anvil up against the stationary stick C.

' In the' punching operation the operation of the cam 92 engages withthe Working end 99 of the lever- 93 while in the eyelet setting operation the cam 92 engages the working end I88 of the lever 93. After the holeIhas been punched by the punch 54in the stick C the cam" I M whichis carried by the shaft l1 operates against thestop or" cam shoulder which projects upwardfrom the base I8. When the cam l8! operates against this: shoulder I82 it causes the sliding plate H l to-carry the motor and operating head 28 with the punch and eyelet setting means forward in position so as to carry the eyelet mandrel 42 directly above the-hole which has been punched in the stick C. The bolt through the sliding plate 1! and the boss on the plate ll to which the spring 9| is attached, which boss moves in'a slot in the base l8, act to hold the slidable parts'in alignment with the base In. As hereinbefore set forth when the punch 54 operates to punch the'hole in the stick, the eyelet mandrel 42 picks. up an eyelet48. The mandrel 42" carrying the eyelet 48 is moved-over the hole punched in the Y the sameback into the normal position ready to start to puncha hole in 'a new curtainstick.

The punch plunger sleeve 34 carries an adjustable shoulder dog I I8 which is pivotally mounted on the collar Ill carried by the punch plunger sleeve 34 and movable therewith between the end v i 35 of the head 28 and the operating end 3| of the lever 27. This dog is adapted to operate to hold the sleeve 34'down into contact with the stick C while the punch 54-is being-withdrawn from the stick C. As soon as the punch 54 is Withdrawn, from the stick the dog! I8 is released-bypressure of the; upwardly moving end 3| of the lever 21 against the cam end-|l2 of the dog H8 so asto permit the sleeve 34 and the plunger '33 of *the punch 54to be raised together back into normal acts to strip the stock from the-punch 33.

One end of the dog H8 is longer with respect thus 7 ,tive manner.

causing this end to drop when the lever 3| is moved downwardlyythe shorter end of the dog .I I0 engaging against the lower surface of the end 35. .The dog III) holds the sleeve 34 down until Fthe lever .3I movesagainst the cam edge of the dog IIO, pivoting the dog III! and allowing the dog to pivot. The punch plunger 33 is thus drawn into the sleeve 34before thissleeveraises, stripping the stick from the punch.

I provide spring stops IHI which'are operated by the set'screw H5 .to move the stop end IIB which forms a gauge against whiclrthe stick may :be set in placingthe same in the machine to set an eyelettherein. These spring gauges are :carried by the base) and operate to provide tw adjustable stops. r

My eyelet, and grommet setting machine operates' automatically by an electric motor A. I provide a suitable wiring-such. as is illustrated diagrammatically inFigure ,13 which shows the motor A connected with the power supply line I03. This circuit in Figure 13 shows an'electric push button- I04 which'starts the motor A to operate; As. soon as the motor A starts to opercausing the motor A to operate until the cam I05 engages a wedge shaped projection on the cam end I06, of the lever ,IIJ'I pivoting the lever into .circuit at the contacts; I09, causing themotor A .tostop automatically at the proper time. The

operation is automatic it being only necessary to IIJI tocover the contacts I09, keeping the motor circuit closed withthe line Ie3 tokeep themotor operating, until my automatic electric eyelet and grommet machine has punched thehole and set the eyelet. .This operationis accurate, the cam setting ;is adjustable and'the entire operation ;quic kly accomplished in a very simple and effec- The method of; supplying eyelets in the magazine form is also important as it overcomes any 1 necessity for an eyeiethopper, holds the eyelets in alinement-in aslicle which also provides the .magazine 49 and permitsthe eyelets to be easily :handled and inserted in the eyelet machine. The I accomplishment of my automatic electric eyelet and grommet machine provides a very desirable .means for setting eyelets in curtain sticks and the like. It is not necessary thatjthe-operator be skilled because the operations are simple and v effective and are/automatic after the machine has started until it stops in completing the entire operation. 7

In'accordance with the patent statutes-I have described and illustrated my automatic electric Ieyelet and grommet machine and while the illustrations are drawn particularly to the setting of anseyelet for curtain sticks and the like, the same structure will operate to set grommets and other eyelets for various purposes, I desire to interpret the functions and operations of my electric eyelet machine within the scope of the following claims. .-1-- a m;..=

5. An automatic machine including, a punch for punching a hole,

,for operating said machine.

to the: pivot therethrough than is the other,

' 1; An eyelet. setter for curtainsticks including, means for clamping the curtain stick'firmly in place, means :ior' punching a hole in the stick, eyelet setting means;.means for shifting the eyelet setting -meansqto placegan eyelet in the hole punched in the stick, meansfor moving the parts back to punching-position andan electric motor shiftable with saidpunching land eyelet setting means for. operating said .clamp, punch,. eyelet setter, andshifting meansnt 2. A device for. setting eyelets .and grommets including, an electric motor, an operating head, .a punch for punching ahole, an eyelet setter, an

adjustable spring gauge against which the article ,to receive theeyeletjs set, a clamp for holding the article, cushion means carried by said clamp to prevent injury in the clamping of the article,

lever and cam-means tor-*operatingsaid clamp punch and eyelet setting; means to automatically setan eyeletin the article held in said clamp- 3. The combinatioman electric motor-,a punching element lever;an,d cam means for operating said punching element,=;a stripping element for said punch associated therewith, means for operating said stripping-element, an eyelet pick-up setting and riveting means, lever, and cam means for operating said eyelet pick-up setting and riveting means, and shifting means adapted to cause said punching means to be f rst placed in position to be operated and thensaideyelet riveting means shifted into operablepositione the position illustrated in Figure 6 toopen. the

.lmeans, and an electric motor movable with said punch and riveting means by said shifting means for operating said punching, eyeleting v and shifting means..

electric eyelet and grommet an:eyelet setting plunger and mandrel, means for clamping a curtain stick, means for movably supporting said-punch and eyelet setting plunger and mandrel as'a unit to movethe machine into eye- .leting position aiter the hole has been punched in the clamped stick-,and an electric motor movable with said punch and eyelet setting plunger 6. An automatic electric-eyelet and grommet ,zmachine including, anelectric motor for operating the same, a punch for punching. the hole, an eyelet setting, plunger and mandrel, levers for operating said punch and plunger, a supporting frame for said punch, fsaid plunger, said mandrel .and said ope'rating'lefvers, means forsupporting I a curtain stick, and mean's formovably supporting said frame and means formoving said frame to move said punch and said plunger successively over the curtainstick.

,7. An automatic electric eyelet and grommet machine including, an electric motor for operatingthesame, a'punch for punching a hole, an eyelet setting plunger and mandrel, means for "supporting-a curtain stick in position to be punched and eyeleted, and a pair of spring stops for aligning saicl'stick in' the proper position.

8. An eyelet and grommet machine including, a base, amovable platemounted upon said base,

a centering meanstocenter .thearticle in relationto" the punchya-ndeyelet setting means, and

a punch and an eyeleting plunger mounted upon I said plate, an electric motor for operating said punch and plunger, said motor being mounted on said movable plate, means for supporting a curtain stick stationary with respect to said base, and means for moving said movable plate on said base to place the same first in position to punch a hole through said stick and then to clinch a rivet in said hole.

9. An eyelet and grommet machine including, a base, a movable plate mounted on said base, a punch, a plunger and mandrel, means for operating said punch to punch a hole in a curtain stick, meansfor moving said eyelet setting plunger in eyeleting position, means for raising said plate,

and an anvil adapted to bear against said curtain stick when said plate is raised to clinch an eyelet.

GEORGE T. BIGGS. 

